Gymnastic apparatus.



P. B. KELLY.

GYMNASTIG APPARATUS.

APPLIGATION FILED JULY 28.1908.

961,450., r v Patented June 14,1910.

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AM co. Momumcuanmzns, wnsummou. D- G PATRICK B. KELLY, OF PETERSBURG, ILLINOIS.

GYMNASTIC APPARATUS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PATRICK B. KELLY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Petersburg, in the county of Menard and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Gymnastic Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to an apparatus for the use of aerial gymnastic performances, being directed particularly to a construction by which one or more performers may be suspended at any desired elevation and rapidly rotated about a center during the gymnastic act.

The main object of the present invention is the provision of an apparatus in the use of which one or more performers may be supported at the same or difier-ent heights above an audience and revolved about a center in a substantially horizontal plane.

The invention will be described in the following specification, reference being had particularly to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a View in elevation illustrating the improved apparatus. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same. Fig. 3 an enlarged view in elevation, partly in section, illustrating the swivel connection for the main frame. Fig. 41 is a similar view illustrating the swivel connection for the elevator cables.

Referring particularly to the accompanying drawings, the improved apparatus comprises a main frame 1 including a hanging section 2 comprising divergent bars 3 which, at their juncture, are formed to provide a bearing 1 in'which is mounted a bolt 5 terminating above the bearing in an eye member 6. The relatively lower surface of the bearing 4; is formed to provide a cup member 7 of a ball bearing, the cone 8 of which is secured upon the bolt 5, a lock nut 9 being threaded upon the bolt below the cone. With the usual balls 10 interposed between the coupling cone, the friction incident to the rotation of the hanging section about the bolt 5, which forms a supporting element for the apparatus, is materially reduced.

Connected to the free or lower terminal of each bar 3 is a supporting arm 11, which arms are of materially greater lengths than the lengths of the bars 8. The arms 11 are projected downwardly in opposite directions from their connection with the bars 3, being arranged to cross each other at a point ap proximately in line with the bolt 5, so that Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 28, 1908.

Patented June 14:, 1910.

Serial No. 445,822.

the free ends of the respective arms are disposed in approximately the same horizontal plane below the hanger member and in spaced relation. At the point of juncture of the respective arms 11 there is secured a double sheave or pulley 12, the frame 13 of which is secured to both arms and serves to maintain said arms in fixed relation. Encircling the arms at their point of juncture is a grooved wheel 14. This wheel is formed with a central opening to permit the passage of the arms therethrough and is connected to the respective arms above and below the wheel by tie plates 15, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

Secured to the free or lower terminal of each arm 11 are frame plates 16, terminating in depending ears 17 between which is rotatably supported a pulley 18, whereby the pulleys are preferably arranged directly beneath the ends of the arms. Elevating cables 19 are passed over the central pulley 12 and over each of the pulleys 18, said cables 19 passing in opposite directions over the two-sheave block 12. The cable ends below the pulleys 18 are provided with hooks 20 or other connecting deviceswhereby the performer, or the apparatus to be used by him, may be supported. The lower or inner terminals of the cables 19 are connected to a stirrup member 21, in which is rotatably mounted, through the medium of a ball bearing 22, a connecting bolt 23. The bolt terminates below the stirrup in an eye member 24: to which one terminal of a cable 25 is connected, said cable passing around a pulley 26 secured to a suitable fixture, and being of sufficient length to permit of its being tied or otherwise secured at a remote point. A cable passes over grooved wheel 14 and over spaced pulleys 28 secured to a suitable fixture, depending therefrom to and about a cable wheel 29 mounted in a frame 30 and driven by any preferred means, as a crank 31.

The apparatus is designed to be supported from a suitable fixture, as the roof of a tent, theater, or other place of amusement by engaging the eye 6 with a hook 32. With the device thus supported the cable 25 is operated to lower the hooks 20 for the respective gymnasts. The apparatus on which the gymnastics are to be performed being then connected with the hooks 20 a pull is exerted upon the cable 25 to elevate the performers to the desired distance above the audience. The cable 27 is then operated. causing a rotation of the supporting frame and connected parts, thereby inducing a rapid revolution of the performers about a fixed center and above the heads of the audience during the gymnastic performance.

It is, of course, to be understood that any portable gymnastic apparatus may be readily suspended from the hooks 20 for use by the performers, or said performers may make use of any desired support in accordance with the particular act which is to be performed. In the event a single performer only is to use the apparatus a guy cable 83 is connected to the frame plates 16 at the unused end of the apparatus and to the stirrup 21, thereby driving the strain incident to the weight of the performer on the opposing end of the apparatus. It is obvious that if desired the use of a weight may be employed to counterbalance the performers and connect the parts, which weight would be secured on the cables 25 and thus dispense with independent means for securing said cables.

It is to be particularly noted that the apparatus has a fixed relation to the sup ort to which it is connected and that in ad usting the heights of the performers from the ground, the cables 19 only are used and the apparatus as a Whole remains at its original elevation. By this means I am enabled to elevate one performer to a greater height than the other, and in the action incident to the revolution of the apparatus have one performer working in the air in a plane above the other. Furthermore, while I have I shown and described but two arms 11 it is obvious that any equal number may be employed, being arranged, of course, to radiate from a common center to permit balancing of the whole.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new, is

1. A gymnastic apparatus comprising a supporting frame, means for continuously revolving the same, performer supporting cables carried by the frame and extending in opposite directions thereon, and means for simultaneously adjusting said cables independently of and with relation to the frame.

2. A gymnastic apparatus comprising a supporting frame, means for rotating the frame, pulleys carried by the frame in spaced relation, and a cable passed over each of said pulleys, said cables extending to and depending from the central portion of the frame.

3. A gymnastic apparatus comprising a frame including a supporting member, crossed arms projecting from said member, a cable wheel encircling the arms at their point of juncture, a pulley carried by the arms beneath the cable wheel, pulleys carried by the ends of the arms, and independent performer supporting cables passed over said pulleys.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PATRICK B. KELLY.

Witnesses:

L. A. WEATHERBY, JOHN O. HAZLEWOOD. 

